Reducing Your Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Nearly all cases of COPD can be prevented. Practice these preventive measures to reduce your risk of developing COPD.

Quit Smoking

Almost all COPD cases are caused by cigarette smoking. Never smoking, or quitting if you already smoke, are the single most important steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing COPD. This preventive measure is particularly important if you have family members who developed COPD at a young age (in their 30s or 40s).

Manage Environmental Exposures

Be aware of air pollution alerts. Avoid outdoor activities when air quality is particularly poor. Do not exercise in areas where levels of car exhaust are high.

Avoid Close Contact With People Who Have Respiratory Infections

Repeated lower respiratory infections,
pneumonia,
and
acute bronchitis
can produce scarring. This is particularly true in young children. Scarring contributes to the development of COPD. Whenever possible, try to avoid close contact with people who have contagious respiratory infections. Get a
pneumonia vaccination
if you are 65 years or older, or have risk factors for pneumonia. Make sure you get yearly
flu shots
.

Have a Blood Test to Determine Levels of Alpha-1-Antitrypsin

If someone in your family developed COPD but never smoked, or developed the disease at an early age, you may have a genetic defect that increases your risk of the disease. You should consider having a blood test to measure levels of alpha-1-antitrypsin. This is an important protein that helps protect the lungs from damage due to inflammation. Low levels of this protein increase your risk of developing COPD. You should discuss this with your doctor.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

How can COPD be prevented? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd/prevention. Updated July 23, 2013. Accessed February 24, 2014.

What you can do about a lung disease called COPD. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease website. Available at:
http://www.goldcopd.org/uploads/users/files/GOLD%5FPatient%5FRevJan10.pdf. Accessed February 24, 2014.